Oh yes, I remember a poor deluded professor who used to sing me this song. Billions and billions of years ago, a blob climbed out of the sea. He looked at the sky and yelled, I'd like to fly and poop. He sprouted some wings. He climbed up a tree to the very tip top. Jumped off a limb and he hit with a plop He broke both his legs so he started to hop Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit Billions and billions of years ago We know it's absurd and it doesn't make sense But we can explain if you give us a chance We know it's not science, but we're really sincere And it sure seems to help to add billions of years. Billions and billions of years ago, a frog went out for a stroll. The froggy went, brr, I could show you some fur. And poof, hair started to grow. It grew on his hands and his little webbed feet. It grew on his head and it really looked neat. He thought, I'm a monkey, I'll swing from a tree. Billions and billions of years ago. Sing it, class. We know it's absurd. Now, class, listen carefully. Oh, this is the best part. Oh, you're going to love this. Now, listen. Billions and billions of years ago, a monkey sat on a rock. He said with a wink, I'm a genius, I think. And oof, he started to talk. Oh, yes, he did. The problems of math he could now understand. He made a trombone and he started a band He changed from a monkey right into a man Millions and billions of years ago We know it's absurd and it doesn't make sense But we can explain if you give us a chance We know it's not science, but we're really sincere And it sure seems to help to add billions of years It sure seems to help to add billions of years Billions and billions of years ago. You can't make a monkey You can't make a monkey You can't make a monkey out of me I like to eat bananas and visit the zoo. But I'm no second cousin to a chimpanzee. You'll never catch me scratching and eating my fleas. And you'll never see me swinging from a coconut tree. My daddy's a gorilla. My mommy's no ape. So you can't make a monkey out of me. No you can't. No you can't, no you can't make a monkey out of me Oh I went down to the monkey house just to see what I could see With a woof, woof, woof, woof, woof! And a eek, eek, eek, eek! A monkey stared right back at me. I moved in close as he scratched his chin. And I noticed he smelled real bad. I almost fainted when I read the sign that said, Hi, I'm your dad! I'm your dad! You can't make a monkey. You can't make a monkey. You can't make a monkey out of me. I like to eat bananas and visit the zoo But I'm no second cousin to a chimpanzee You'll never catch me scratchin' and eatin' my fleas And you'll never see me swingin' from a coconut tree My daddy's no gorilla, my mommy's no ape So you can't make a monkey out of me No you can't! No, you can't. No, you can't. Make a monkey out of me. I can't? No, you can't. Well I turned on the television Just to watch the evening news And what I saw on there Made me want to crawl right through the tube Cause they were talking about this wedding But they only showed two men So I fired off this little email With some words just for them Come on down to the farm Come on out to the barn You won't find two roosters Walking arm in arm They couldn't make no chicken. They don't lay no eggs to hatch when God said love your brother I don't think he meant like that Well, in that little email, I began to tell them how Two mares can't make a stallion, two bulls can't make a cow It takes a male and a female for the species to go on And there'll be no reproduction if the plumbing is all wrong So come on down to the farm, come on out to the barn. You won't find two roosters walking arm in arm. They couldn't make no chicken, they don't lay no eggs to hatch. When God said, love your brother, I don't think he meant like that. We used to teach our children all about the birds and the bees. Now the world keeps telling them you can do anything you please. We need to get back to the Bible, back to the gospel truth, because a million happy roosters won't make it. A single chicken So come on down to the farm Come on out to the barn You won't find two roosters Walking arm in arm They couldn't make no chicken They don't lay no eggs to hatch When God said love your brother I don't think he meant like that. When God said love your brother, I don't think he meant like that. Oh, and here's here's Joe's favorite. Joe's hang on Joe's absolute favorite. food that I haven't played it in a while, and I can't let him forget about his favorite food. I sure am ready for a home-cooked meal. What are we having, Mr. O'Connor? Dad said you always serve the same thing. You're right, Patrick, me boy. We'll be having my specialty. There's a vegetable that we all hold dear We eat it every day of every year With a texture fair and an odor rare A taste so delicate beyond compare People like them hot, people like them cold Some even like them when they're six weeks old Cook them in a pot, serve them in a bowl Bake them in the oven in a casserole Casserole If they're baked or boiled, if they're wrapped in foil Sliced in slivers and they're fried in oil In this world below, it is good to know There's nothing better than an Irish potato A potato chip goes with onion dip. It's yummy with a burger or a chicken strip. Throw away the rice, feed it to the mice. Give me mashed potatoes, oh, they're really nice! Try a tater tot when it's nice and hot. Dip it in some ketchup or whatever you've got. Everybody buys crispy curly fries. If you're really hungry, make it super sized. Super sized! Eat'em when you're young, eat'em when you're grown Eat'em in a crudder, eat'em all alone In this world below, it is good to know There's nothing better than an Irish potato Irish potato Very true. And one more, one more song about Joe's favorite dog. He couldn't forget about that. Let me tell you a tale that's as big as a whale, but this story is true to the end. To the end! Of a dog that's a dream, he's the best ever seen. Oh, a man never had such a friend. Such a friend! He's as strong as an ox, he's smart as a fox, he knows every hill in Killarney. He's a sight to behold, worth his weight in pure gold. Oh, there's no Better not die. In the dark! He's the cream of the crop. He's the tip of the top. That you are, me faithful friend. Oh, there's no better dog than Barney. There you go, and it's so fitting. We talked about Joe's favorite food, potatoes. We talked about Joe's favorite dog. Now we're gonna debut the gospel according to Oscar Mayer Wiener. What I really need to do is take biblical advice from a dude dressed like a hot dog. I'm gonna put this on a video, the gospel according to Oscar Mayer Wiener. Oscar Mayer Wiener. That is what I truly like to be. Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener, everyone would be in love with me. A big parade is so inspiring. Oh, I'm glad I'm not an Oscar Mayer wiener. That is what I never want to be. Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener, there would soon be nothing left of me. Oh, I'd love to be an Oscar Mayer wiener. Oscar Mayer wieners are all meat. All good meat. Rich in complete meat protein. Mildly seasoned to bring out all the good meat flavor. Everyone would be in love with me. Next week, you handle just the refreshments, Freddy. Because if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener, there would soon be nothing left of me. Yay, Oscar Mayer wiener. Okay, one more time everybody, one more time. What I really need to do is take biblical advice from a dude dressed like a hot dog. I'm gonna put this on a video, the gospel according to Oscar Mayer Wieners. A big parade is so inspiring. Oh, I'm glad I'm not an Oscar Mayer wiener. That is what I never want to be. Because if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener, there would soon be nothing left of me. Oh, I'd love to be an Oscar Mayer wiener. Oscar Mayer wieners are all meat. All good meat. Rich in complete meat protein. Mildly seasoned to bring out all the good meat flavor. Everyone would be in love with me. Next week, you handle just the refreshments, Freddy. But if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener, there would soon be nothing left of me. That was great. Compliments of Andrew Bicey right there. I told that guy I was going to make an honorary video of the gospel according to Oscar Meyer Wiener and I did not disappoint for their Andrew and I made sure we got that in and uh, there you go. Kind of goes along with that. Do you think are you the head of your wife? I like to think that we're equal. Are you to I am, I am a, I, no, no, no. I'm an alpha. Uh-uh, not if you think you and your wife are equal. Beta! No, because I tell you why. Beta! Ramar, are you the head of your wife? I like to think that we're equal. Are you the head? Beta! I am, I am a, I, no, no, no. I'm an alpha. Uh-uh, not if you think you and your wife are equal. Beta! No, because I tell you why. Beta! Ramar, are you the head of your wife? I like to think that we're equal. Ah, there we go. There we go. All right. Couldn't disappoint that feller. Could we? So he that's the gospel according to Oscar Meyer wiener. Yeah, that's it. Well, anyway, happy Friday. It is Friday and we have a lot of work to get done, don't we? I thought today though, we'll talk about a bunch of things before we get started with everything. But I thought about today that I would do a Bible study. I was thinking last night I was in bed before I went to bed and I was like, you know, I just want to study something out of the Bible tomorrow, something along those lines. And just, that's kind of where I left it. You know, the Lord did not disappoint. I was reading in Philippians chapter four this morning in my devotion, and it really hit home to me. And I'll talk about that a little while here. And I believe it's gonna help some folks out there. God gives us some good stuff for us to learn. All right, well, let's say hi to everybody here. Who's on here? Carl Winters is on here. Joe with his dog, Blarney, and his Irish potatoes. Gregory Pace, Carl Winters, Dan's wife, Angie. My wife is on here. Michelle6815, not to be confused with Michelle6814. You don't want to confuse those two together. That happens sometimes. Then you'll end up blaming Michelle 6814 for what Michelle 6815 does. And you can't have that. Okay. None of that stuff now. And let's see, we have Teresa 49638. Not to be confused with Teresa Daryl's wife. Oh, wait, that's the same one. Okay. Then we have Mary Teresa. She doesn't have any numbers by her. None. She remains numberless. Okay. Then we have Becca MN. Little Becca, big MN. Did you notice that? Little Becca, big MN. Because we all know that Becca has the largest phone known to man. And she is one of the shortest people with the largest phone. And she has the largest water bottle, water container that anyone her size could ever walk around with. I think it doubles as a weapon because if she hits somebody in the head with either that cell phone or that water bottle, they would die. easily or be severely knocked out. And if she holds the cell phone up to her head, it hides her entire head behind it. You cannot see her whole head behind that phone. So it hides her well. Then you have Little Bales 20. Andrea. And her house of children. And her husband probably running around somewhere working, I'm sure. And happy birthday to Teresa. Happy 50th birthday, right? Pilgrim Lady won, not to be confused with any other Pilgrim Lady. Okay. Yes, it would make me feel better if you took your costume off, Carl. Oh wait, no, you're talking about that guy, yeah. Okay, here we go. Yes, Michelle, a big truck too. That's right, Becca with the big truck. Big phone, big bottle. Okay. Carl's eating a pack of Fig Newtons from America. Or those from England. I don't know where those are from. You learned that there was a Portillo's in Roseville. Wasn't there always one there? Or was it up north farther? I don't remember. Okay. Well, there we go. Everybody's all here. Well, not everybody. There's 36 people here. We're gonna do a Bible study, so only the serious people will be here. Everybody else will be gone. But that's okay. Okay, I'll show you one picture of Silas. There he is right there, look at him. That is Silas. He is seven weeks old, I think. Or is he eight weeks old? He's seven or eight weeks old. I think he's seven weeks old. A little over. Sporting the chubby cheeks. Definitely sporting the big belly. Right? Getting bigger. There you go, so. He's doing good, he's living the dream, right? He looks well-rested, doesn't he? Well-rested, eating good. He looks like he just ate an entire Portillo's restaurant, doesn't he? Yep. Definitely has my belly. I know where he got his belly from. Oh, that's funny. Oh, got to fatten him up for the Minnesota winter, man. He's got to make it hold here. Everybody's it's cold here. Everybody's gotta have enough insulation to make it here. So, anyway, there we go. So the little chubby guy's doing good. He's eating good in the hood, man. It's doing good. All right, well, we are planning a ton of stuff, man. So you pray for us as we get together, as we get together, right? And try to figure everything out. So I'll give you an update here. Asher is doing good. He weighs in at he's 11 months old. Andrea said, and weighs in at a whopping 26 pounds in this quarter. Gideon is too, man. He's, I mean, he, that old boy is he's got it, man. He's Idiot he's uh He's definitely living good man Okay, so, uh Been talking to pastor Jeffrey a little bit not talking but well actually you have voice messages back and forth, okay So here's the plan. I'm gonna give you some tentative plans. I wish I had a calendar on here. I don't know, it's a Windows. I don't know if they have calendars. Click and see. Oh, I know how to spell calendar, you ding-dongs. Anyway, let's go to 2024. Okay. All right, so. Here's the plan. I'm planning on leaving Minnesota, Lord willing. This is 24. On the 16th, okay? On the 16th, I leave. We drive to Michigan, probably, all day the 16th, we arrive there that night in Michigan, probably. We get up on the 17th and we drive the rest of the way probably to Canada, I'm guessing. Okay. Now, so we'll be in Canada around that time. The 18th, I'll be running around there doing some stuff. The 19th, I'll be preaching in the church, okay? The 19th, I'll be preaching in the church, Pastor Jeffrey's church, probably two or three times, whatever. We'll be street preaching on the 20th, okay? Be street preaching on the 20th. And doing some other stuff, street preaching, looking around, video, all kinds of stuff, okay? 21st, again, video interviewing, running around, stuff. Okay, Wednesday I'll be preaching in their church. But look at this, Thursday is when we wanna go to Niagara Falls. So you gotta remember that, Thursday. This is the day that we wanna try to make it to Niagara Falls and spend a couple days around that area probably and then I'll take off to the Illinois side. So here's where you need to, You that are going, I mean, Carl, you're already gonna be there, okay? I think you're planning on being there anyway. But Teresa, that ceremony that you would wanna do, we'd wanna be in Niagara Falls on the 23rd. Right? So on the 23rd is when we'd be in Niagara Falls and we do the ceremony and everything, okay? Visit Niagara Falls, look around, maybe spend a couple days there. You guys are probably gonna be off work, so we could spend a couple days up in that area. Pastor Jeffrey will find some stuff for us to look at, and then I'll spend the next week or so traveling home. Looks like Memorial Day is on a Friday. So it'll be expensive wherever I'm at, but that's okay. I ain't gonna do that. Gotta do what I gotta do, right? But anyway, so that's what it looks like. And I haven't determined yet. I haven't determined yet how I'm going to do my, it won't matter to any of you guys, but for my family to actually spend about 10 days with them or so. But I'm guessing we'll spend some time up there in Niagara, probably if it depends on how long Daryl and Teresa, if they want to spend a couple of days there in that area around Canada or whatever the case may be, or we'll cross over into New York, Carl can't, but way back we could. Anyway, but so I'll figure all that out. Yeah, that's true, I think it is. Probably the 27th, isn't it? But I'll be in Canada, I think. Well, no, I won't. Yeah, you're right. I don't know what I was thinking. You're right, Michelle. I'm losing my brains here. That happens quite often. You're right, Michelle, that's correct. That is correct. Michelle, do I come past you there in Ohio? Don't worry, we're not leaving Mary. But. So anyway, so that's tentatively and I, I haven't got all this figured out yet. Okay. But that's the dates. I think a pastor, Jeffrey's going to take a week off of work. So, you know, we're going to be like a week in Canada, probably close to a week. Cause even here, even here. And I get there. No, I'm leaving the 16th. I get there on. We'd get to Michigan on the 16th. And we'd have the 17 we have travel time, we have tons of travel time, so we have we have time on our way there. So anyway, that's the tentative time plan, time. Now, with brother Andrew, with brother Andrew coming, he will be coming to record everything, to do interviews, to put together the documentary footage for preaching in a foreign country and all that kind of stuff. Okay. So Andrew will be flying in. Andrew will be flying in on like Saturday. So he'll be there on Saturday. Is when he would be there. Okay. And then, uh, We'll be doing a lot of work there. Lots of work there. Baptist history, all kinds of stuff. So, there'll be Baptist history we'll be doing there. We'll be interviewing Pastor Jeffrey on a number of different things, getting his testimony on a number of different things of what the Lord has done. Okay. So you pray about that. Pray for the Lord to provide for all of these things. Oh, by the way, I want to preach to the Jewish community over there. There's a Jewish community over there and I want to preach to those folks. Well, I'm there also. Street preaching, but also, you know, all that stuff. So you pray about that, that the Lord would provide for all of our needs and, you know, take care of us. Okay, so pray the Lord would, and we got plenty of time and people will be able to give towards that. And we'll be recording Carl and Mary's wedding vows, their ceremony, their official ceremony in person. We did one online, but their in person ceremony will be recording that at Niagara Falls. Okay. It will be recording Daryl and Teresa renewing their vows at Niagara Falls. Okay. So Anyway, you pray about that. Pray the Lord would provide for us. Pray that all would be well. Pray that we'd have a good time. And then I'm going to take my family after that, and I'm going to take them and go on vacation with them and spend some time with them coming back home out east there, over there. And I haven't figured out what I'm going to do yet. I have to look, but, uh, We're going to spend some time, a week on our way back, going and looking around and seeing some different things and enjoy time together. So you pray for us that that would work out well. God would provide for all that work there because our planning, get a lot done, amen, while we're there. And also pray this weekend. Brother Andrew and I will be, sorry about that, I was away from the microphone. Brother Andrew and I will be working on the Colosseum documentary. We'll start working on that. I wanna get that moving here, get that going so you can see that. And, uh, all the hard work that all the blessings from that and learn some things from it. Okay. And, uh, you know, or with all Denzey and cave and all kinds of, we got a lot of stuff to do. Okay. Pray for us, pray the Lord provide, give us traveling mercies and take care of us and all those things. And lots of stuff from Europe. We're going to be doing. So you pray for us, it just takes time because we're not professionals and we don't have unlimited cash supply and unlimited hours and all that kind of stuff. We all have very busy families and everything else like that. Okay. We pray for the Lord's blessing upon us in all that we do. We're excited about it. And lots of good stuff ahead of us. All right, well, So also don't forget about the camera that we're using for the meeting house. And we had to recently, our other one died, and we had to purchase this one from Brother Andrew. And I'd like to give him some of that money back. I could be spent about three times that much on the equipment that we traveled around Europe with and that we're going to be traveling to Canada with. that you all see street preaching every time we go out street preaching. Saw for the four or five months we were out street preaching. That was the more expensive camp. The other one where you eating house. Anyway, if you can, and you'd like to give that market specifically, that if it's just general giving for everything else, then. Oh, but something special like that. Go ahead and. market for them. And then you could do that through our website here. You can click on donate or you can click our website is oldpathsbaptistchurch.org. Scroll down PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay. Or you can click on donate. It'll take you to PayPal right away. You can use a credit card, you can use anything you want to for your PayPal account there, or you can mail us something. Our address is on our screen. Okay, so lots of exciting things ahead of us. Pray about all those things. We appreciate anything you do and your prayers. All that good stuff, right? Now then, The sound is cutting out because I'm not over this stinking microphone. That's why I have to like hover over it. Like I'm like, I'm a prisoner hovering over my plate of food, but we'll get that fixed. Yeah. It shouldn't be cutting out now. I was away from it. That's why it was cutting out. I'm sure if I don't stand right over the top of it, it does that. So hopefully it's not now. Is it coming in clear now or what? No, it's this microphone. If I don't have this right where it needs to be, and if I turn my head or something, it'll cut out. Okay. Okay. Now, turn your Bibles to Philippians chapter four, please. Philippians chapter four. And we are gonna talk about discontentment. Discontentment is an extremely dangerous thing. It's dangerous for anyone, but it is definitely dangerous for Christians. If Christians become discontent, discontented, They can literally destroy everything in their lives. I'm gonna speak some very real things to you here this afternoon. And I'm hoping by the grace of God that they'll help you or They'll be used to help someone else that goes through some things. You know, we talk about often, well, we don't, but the world does. The world talks about often a midlife crisis. The world talks about um you know depression which is real and and sometimes when a man or a woman goes through like hormonal changes and different things like that it affects their their contentment it affects their their life. I mean, you've heard stories of people that seemingly have been married for 20 years. And then it's like our 25 years and all of a sudden it's like they fall out of love. And I'm putting that in quotations because you know, that's not a biblical sentiment, but, um, I don't, I don't really believe in the modern day falling in love philosophies. Love is a choice. But anyway, what happens is you hear, you hear of those things and all of a sudden they've been married for 25 years and then they walk away. Guy, the guy flips his wig, turns like, a 180 and buys a car, dyes his hair and moves to Kenya or something weird. Or you hear about women that they're going right along and Then all of a sudden they do the same thing. They flip out. They seem to lose interest in their spouse or lose interest in the life that they have. And they do something totally crazy and nuts. Now, some of those things happen because of like hormonal changes. However, like anything else, we are not allowed to leave, as Christians, the plain path of duty and walk away from our responsibilities. Walk away from our commitments. Walk away from what is right. We are not allowed to give in to discontentment. It's something that I've seen in the scriptures and I've seen it in real life with people that I firmly believe that some of these people had no idea what took hold of them They did not know what to do with it. They were not walking close to God. And they destroyed their lives and their marriages and their children and everything. Because it came upon them in such a way that they did not know how to deal with. And I mean, they totally changed their lives and everything else, ditched their families, became ultra selfish, and walked away. Male or female. And one of the things that they did was they allowed discontentment, confusion, things to happen in their mind and their heart, and they ran with it. I believe the apostle Paul in Philippians chapter four is dealing with discontentment. The text verses that I'm gonna use here. Paul says, and I'm gonna go back and show you the way to defeat discontentment. Paul says, not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned. In whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry. both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. Starting with verse four, I believe Paul is giving directions. on how to defeat discontentment. Number four, verse four. This is the first way. Number four, verse number four says, and this is number one, the first way, rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice. Number one, you rejoice always. Paul gives a series of commands and his commands are very simple, rejoice evermore. We must often and always rejoice, though the sky may be dark and the trials may be hard, we must always live in an atmosphere of rejoicing. Rejoicing in the Lord will defeat discontentment. To rejoice means to experience joy and gladness in a high degree. To make joyful, to gladden, to animate with lively, pleasurable sensations. To experience joy and gladness, to express it, right? To be exhilarated with lively, pleasurable sensations. Be thankful. Rejoice in the Lord. And again, I say rejoice. If you would defeat discontentment, you must always, you and I must always have a practice of rejoicing. Gladness. We must always be in an atmosphere of rejoicing. You've got to rejoice. You got to be thankful. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, right? Bible gives us many verses on that, right? tells us to rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice. The Psalms are full of rejoicing, the command to rejoice. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling, but let all those, Psalm 511, but let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice. Let them ever shout for joy because thou defendest them. Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. Psalm 9, 2, I will be glad and rejoice in thee. I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most high. Psalm 9, 14, that I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughters of Zion. I will rejoice in thy salvation. Psalm 13, 5, but I have trusted in thy mercy. My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. Many times over, David speaks of rejoicing. Rejoicing in the Lord. You know, the second thing that I see here that he says is let your moderation be known unto all men. that we live a life that doesn't have to be extravagant. Because if we lose that, we can be taken with discontentment very quickly. We don't have to have the top of the line, it can be the mid. The life of balance, right? Let your moderation be known unto all men. To be moderate when it comes to things. That I don't have to be extravagant, right? But I could be moderate. I don't have to have the best. So to be careful with that, not to set our lives up or set our children up or set, you know, set things up to where it has to be the absolute top of the line best. Nothing wrong with having nice things, right? Nothing wrong with that. But moderate, you know, not to be extravagant. We don't have to be extravagant. That goes a long way in preparing for not to be discontent. It's so easy if we set ourselves up when we have so much at a time and we indulge in that or we go too far with that. Right? that we end up being discontent. So that's a dangerous place to be. So let your moderation be known unto all men. Next, I would say is in verse six. There is a command here. Be careful for nothing. What does that mean? That word careful, in this context, it means anxious. Anxious worry. Full of care. Be careful for nothing. Don't be anxious. Right, don't be anxious. Be careful, so don't let circumstances and things around you cause you to lose it. That you become extremely fearful. That your emotions take over. You have to learn to bridle your emotions. You have to learn to deal with them properly. Not to let any emotion, whether it's sorrow, whether it's fear, whether it's pain, whether it's anger, you have to learn not to allow those things to take you. Be careful for nothing. We are commanded not to be anxious or full of anxiety. And how do I do that? Well, here's the way. This is the opposite, okay? The answer to anxiousness is prayer. The answer to allowing myself to be anxious is prayer. Be careful for nothing, but in everything, in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. So here you have your orders. Be careful for nothing. Don't be anxious for anything. Don't let anxiety fill your heart over anything. It might come, but you don't succumb to it. You can't stop the feelings of anxiousness, but you should not react to it by allowing it to consume you and making decisions that are bad ones because you're anxious, because you have anxiety. I can't stop them from coming when it happens to me. I can't stop the anxiety if I have the condition of that. No, but I don't have to give into it. I don't have to give into it. Be careful for nothing. Be anxious for nothing. But in everything, By prayer and supplication. That word supplication, it's an entreaty, a humble and earnest prayer, a petition. By prayer and supplication. Write this down if you're taking notes. We combat anxiety by being proactive with prayer. Write this down too. The spiritual substitute for anxiety is prayer. I'm gonna say that again to you. The spiritual substitute for anxiety is prayer. It is the spiritual man that is walking with God or woman that is walking with God. It is the spiritual substitute. So he doesn't just give you, well, don't worry. He's not like that song. Don't worry, be happy. Like Bob Marley or whatever the guy's name was. Don't worry, be happy. No, that's not what he's saying. He says, be careful for nothing, be anxious for nothing. But it doesn't stop there. Because what do I have to do with all that? Man, my mind and my heart is like really anxious and it's really bad and I'm really worked up, so what do I need to do? He tells you. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication. You pray, you earnestly entreat the Lord with thanksgiving. Meaning that you give thanks unto the Lord when you pray. but I'm full of anxiousness, I'm full of worry, I'm scared, I got this diagnosis, this is bad, this is terrible, such and such happened, this is horrible. Yes, all that is true. But the command is, be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication. with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known unto God. So in other words, what he is saying here is that I'm not to worry, I'm to pray. And when I pray, I'm to be thankful. I'm to thank God for his goodness to me. I'm to have a thankful spirit of all of his goodness to me Right? And then I'm gonna make my request, let my request be made known unto God. I'm to let my request, I'm to make my request known unto God, but I'm to do it with thanksgiving. I'm to be thankful. meaning that our prayers should be accompanied with thanksgiving to the Lord. Praying always and giving of thanks always. God's people should be a thankful people. It starts with proper prayer. You and I must pray and wait on the Lord. If we would be faithful, if we would not have hearts that are given over to discontent, we must be faithful in prayer. not complaining to men, but speaking to God. What Paul is saying here is, is that he was preparing his heart through prayer. That's what he did. And he was commanding the same thing because it goes a long way in defeating discontentment. It's the meaning of the Bible when it says pray without ceasing. To pray without ceasing. Be anxious. What does that mean? What does that word mean? It means, that word careful means anxious minds. And by the way, anxious minds are not content minds. If you would defeat discontentment, you must pray. And you must pray with thanksgiving. You must be thankful to God. Sometimes I look at people and you'll hear me when I preach, I preach it was like, have you nothing to be thankful to God for? I know if somebody suffers a major tragedy, I can understand that, but in the day-to-day affairs of life, When I see people that suffer through things, or they're going through depression or things like that, and they seem to have nothing to be thankful for. Like, have you nothing to be thankful for? You should have a journal if you can't remember things. I mean, we all should really. Have a journal of answered prayer. Because we forget how God has answered our prayers. And for that reason, we become, by the way, Spurgeon said this. We etch our trials in stone and we write our blessings in sand. What we do? We etch our trials out in stone and everything that we're going through, but write our blessings in sand so the sand blows away and we forget about the blessings. That ought not to be. Our trials should be written in sand and our blessings should be etched in stone. Because there are way more blessings than trials. Next. He says, if you do pray that way, he says, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Not only your heart, if you pray to God, if you refuse to give in to anxiousness and you are faithful to pray, and you're thankful to God, the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. See, contentment will be there because God, you have followed God's instructions and God's peace which passeth all understanding, shall, just like shall not perish, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Paul's saying whatsoever state you're in, God will take care of you. He will stabilize you. If you follow him, he shall keep your hearts and minds. That means that he won't let your mind completely go. He won't let your heart be taken. He will keep it. He will keep it. He will preserve it, your heart and your mind. God will do that. The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds. Then he's gonna deal with the next thing. If you would defeat discontentment, you must govern your thoughts. I talked about this on Wednesday night. You haven't listened to that sermon. Have I titled it yet or not? Might not have. Yes, I did. This, this sermon. Gospel remembrance, the biblical way to remember the past. If you haven't heard that, go back and listen to it. Okay? It'll help you. Okay? Now, but if you would not give in, if you would defeat discontentment, you must govern your thoughts. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true. See, God says he'll keep you. This is how he keeps you. By obeying Him, by following Him, by His grace, yes. But you and I have to keep our minds and our hearts. We've got to obey Him and follow Him. I'm not talking about to be saved. To be saved, you're saved by grace through faith. I'm talking about to keep your walk with Him. The walk sanctified. Okay? He says, finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. If you would not be taken by discontentment, don't foster thoughts of discontentment. Don't entertain thoughts of discontentment. The moment you continue to foster or to think about discontentment, the absolute danger you will find yourself in. Paul knew that he had to govern his own thoughts. There was no way that he could allow his mind to go wherever it wanted to go. Dangerous. We must think on right things. We must think on right and true and honest and virtuous things. All sin starts in the heart and the mind. If you allow your mind to become discontented, if you allow those thoughts of discontentment, that there's something better out there than my wife, than my children, than the lot that I'm in in life, than all these other things, you'll follow it. You'll follow it. Paul is showing here that if wrong thoughts are allowed to fester in our minds and our hearts, they will lead to discontentment. Our thoughts matter and our minds should not be allowed to run without governors. They should be governed by the word of God. Your mind should be governed. Every sin starts there in the mind and heart. It does not start in actions. It starts in focusing your thoughts on wrong things. I'm gonna tell you what, I've seen a lot of people give up. And they gave up because they kept thinking about giving up. They wouldn't cast down imaginations. Right? They wouldn't. 2 Corinthians 10 5. They wouldn't do it. If you entertain thoughts of pornography, if you entertain thoughts of perversion, if you entertain lustful thoughts, if you do that, you're going to give into it. If you entertain a way out of your marriage, if you entertain divorce, if you entertain doing any of those things, if you entertain giving up, if you entertain all those things, you're going to do it. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations. and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God. If it's wrong, if those thoughts are telling me, if thoughts that come into my mind are telling me to do things contrary to the plain path of duty and the will of God for my life, and I entertain those thoughts, I will soon follow those things. They must be cast down. or you will give in to them. You will. And you'll make really grand and great excuses for why it's okay for you to do it. So Paul is saying if you would not give in to discontentment, Don't think those things. Now again, you can't, when bad thoughts come into your mind, when you're plagued with them like arrows from Satan, you're to apply the scriptures. Finally, my brother, be strong in the Lord and the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil and having done all, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood. Your battles are spiritual battles. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shot with the preparation of the gospel peace, and above all taking the shield of faith, and above all taking the shield of faith, and above all taking the shield of faith, and above all taking the shield of faith. Wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation. It goes on your head for a reason. The shield protects you from the fiery darts of the wicked that go straight into the mind. And you're to combat those. with faith. I'm to believe God, God's got me where he wants me. He's given me my, I don't care what my thoughts, what thoughts go through my brain, God's given me the wife he's given me, he's given me the home he's given me, he's given me the church he's given me, he's given me the children he's given to me, he's given me the health that I have and whatever else it is, this is what God wants me to do, this is my lot in life right now. And I'm gonna be a steadfast soldier. I have to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. And I'm gonna tell you what, sometimes things are just hard. I spent probably from 2017 until 2020, I'd say. About 2020, three years, hardest years of my life. The absolute most difficult, trying, depressing, discouraging years of my life. They were extremely difficult years. Sometimes I thought I was going to lose my mind. Like I would never like return to any normalcy, whatever that was. I didn't even know what that was anymore. It was the absolute most difficult years of my life. But the one thing that the Lord drove into me, that he told me, is I would ask him, Lord, I don't know what you want from me. I want you to trust me. I want you to serve me. But Lord, this, this and this. Yeah, I know. But I want you to serve me. But Lord, it's completely dark. And I can barely see any light at all. Well, then follow me in the dark. And don't leave the plain path of duty. Continue on. The Lord, how can I do this? I mean, my brains are this way and, and I've got zero confidence. I, I, I, everything is dark and horrible and terrible. And I, in my mind and I, I just, there's yep. Keep going. Walk through the Valley. Walk through it anyway. And finally I had to come to the place to where basically I asked the Lord thrice to remove it from me. And he said, no, he wouldn't more than thrice. I'm just using that as a scriptural example. I would ask God, why does one things to go back to the way they were? It's my mind would be normal. I won't do that. My grace is sufficient for thee. My strength is made perfect in weakness. I'm not gonna take that away from you. But you know something, the Lord didn't deny me anything else I asked him. He gave me, but he said, not that, I won't give you that. I could not, my thoughts were so terrible and they were so running amok. But the Lord placed it in my heart, don't follow anything but my book. Follow nothing but my word. Believe nothing but my word. Okay, Lord. I will. Grace. You've got to govern your thoughts if you give it so many men. When they go through terrible experiences in their mind or women, they leave their wives, they leave their families, they walk away from their faithfulness. Some of them commit suicide. Some of them blow their brains out. Some of them are so confused. The one thing that God taught me through it, follow my book and you march on, but Lord, This, follow my book and you march on. Don't leave the plain path of duty. Don't give into your thoughts. I will teach you not to give into your thoughts and your feelings. Boy, did he. Woo, boy, did he. Because I had thousands of thoughts going through my brains and there wasn't one good one in the bunch. Like, you're gonna have to obey me. You follow me, the Lord said. Man. You gotta govern your thoughts. If you wouldn't give over to discontentment, you gotta govern your thoughts. You can't be thinking discontenting thoughts. You can't be thinking thoughts of discontent. If you do, you'll destroy your life. Next, you would defeat discontentment. He says this in verse nine, those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do. And the God of peace shall be with you. What is Paul essentially saying? He's saying this, whose faith follow. If you would put down discontentment, learn to be obedient to the Bible and the God-given authorities in your life. One thing that causes discontentment to grow is a lack of submission and obedience. Number one, to God, number two, to the God-given authority that he's given you. Remember what the scriptures say. They say, submit yourselves. Right? Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. In James. Hebrews 13 it says obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls as They that must give an account that they give account that they may do it with joy not with grief This is unprofitable for you James 4 7 submit yourselves therefore to God resist the devil and he will flee from you You want to well God made us to be submissive to him first and to his word, and then to godly authority that he put in our lives. So if you're a wife and the Lord gave you a godly husband, you're to submit to your husband. And it doesn't say submit to him when you believe he's right all the time. Submit to him when he's perfect. Submit, no, it says submit yourselves in the fear of the Lord, right? Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. Submit yourselves, number one, to God. You need to submit to God. I'll tell you what, you'll get a real discontented life because you're not surrendered to God. You haven't laid down your arms of rebellion against God. You wanna talk about people in turmoil? They're people that have never surrendered to God. I mean, save people that don't live in surrender and submission to God's word. They won't submit to any authority. They won't submit to their pastor. They won't submit to their wives, won't submit to their husbands. The children won't submit. They're not content. They're sad and sorrowful. Why? Because they don't submit. They live lives without submission. If you would have contentment and be obedient to the Bible and the God-given authorities in your life. One thing that causes discontentment is that lack of obedience. The wife not obeying the husband, children not obeying their parents, church members not obeying their pastor and following his faith as he follows Christ. This brings discontentment. But if you follow the leadership that God has given you, it brings contentment and not contention or a contentious spirit. It seems like whether it's a church or a home, there's always has to be someone that has a contentious spirit. They have a contentious spirit. They cannot submit. They cannot, and they're never content. Peace and contentment come through obedience to the word of God and to God-given authority. Yea, all of you be subject one to another in the fear of the Lord. When someone has a submissive spirit, they're generally content people. content with the leadership that God has given them. If you're waiting for your husband to be perfect before you submit, well, he's waiting for his wife to be perfect before he leads. How's that working out for you? Not good. Not good at all. Never works out good. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder, yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility. For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble. And here's another thing. You know some of the most unstable Christians that are never content? They don't have one authority. I have one authority, it's that King James Bible. That's my final authority, right? This book is my final authority. It brings contentment. This book brings me contentment. And why is that and how is that? Because I'm surrendered to it. I'm surrendered to this King James Bible and this King James Bible, what does it do? It settles everything for me. So if I have a place that I can go that settles all of life's concerns, I don't have to be anxious. Now I get anxious sometimes, right? And I have to get right with God and I have to submit to the word of God, but I don't have to be anxious. Why? Because I have a book that tells me everything that I need to know. Tells me everything. That brings contentment. Right, that brings contentment. That brings peace of mind and comfort. Again. Paul realized on his past experiences, skipping down here to verse 11. Not that I speak in respect of want, For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Paul learned by experience how to be abased and how to abound. He learned it by the Lord taking him through trials. Trials teach a man patience. Trials teach a man to be content and to wait on the Lord. Trials mature the Christian man or woman and fit them for service to the Lord. We are taught how to be abased and have little and be thankful for what we have. We are taught how to abound and to abound right and not to squander the blessings of the Lord. We are taught to be thankful in much and in little. Spiritually to be blessed by the fullness of God and to suffer abasement at times and remain faithful to the Lord. Our outward circumstances, or even our inward turmoils, must not cause us to become unfaithful to the Lord. They must teach us how to abase and how to abound. Paul learned that whatsoever state he was in therewith to be content, learning contentment in all things. God's Word says, but godliness with contentment is great gain. What does that word content mean? It means rest or quietness of mind in the present condition. Satisfaction which holds the mind in peace. Restraining complaint, opposition, or further desire, and often implying a moderate degree of happiness. The Bible tells us, but godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Paul's saying that your life is but a vapor, it is short. Brought nothing in, you ain't taking nothing out. Having food and raiment. Let us let us be there with content Got a roof over your head you got a place to stay that doesn't mean you don't work hard It just means that you have that be content with such things that you have Look at Hebrews 13 Let your conversation be without covetousness. One of the problems, discontentment is covetousness. Covetousness is a sin that produces discontent. Look what he says here. Let your conversation be without covetousness. Your life, not just your speech, but your entire life. Let your conversation be without covetousness. and be content with such things as you have. That's a command. Don't let your conversation be full of covetousness your life. Covetousness is a strong or inordinate desire of obtaining and possessing some supposed good. usually in a bad sense, and applied to inordinate desires of wealth and avarice. Out of the heart proceedeth covetousness, Mark 7 says. It's part of the nature, fallen nature of man to covet, to have bad thoughts, evil thoughts, covetousness. Mortify your members, Colossians tells us. which are on the earth, covetousness, which is idolatry. We're to mortify our members. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupescence, I said that right, concupescence, yeah, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Covetousness is idolatry. Let your conversation be without covetousness. See, this is how Paul learned both how to abase and how to abound and to be content in all things. Be content with such things as you have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Because he promised that he would never leave us nor forsake us, that's enough. Right? Go back to Hebrews 13, five. Then I'm gonna go back to our text. I'm gonna show you the same. He says the same thing a little bit. That's your conversation. That's your life. Be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have. For he has said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. That's enough that the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. That's why men can sing in a dungeon when they're being beat or they're whipped. They sing in the prison house. Shackles are shackles. God's men have sung, God's women have sung when they're on the torture rack, when they're in the fire burning. Why? Because he promised, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. See, this is the key to what Paul learned. And it had to be enough for him. That Jesus said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. See that right there. Let me show you Philippians 4. The Lord would never leave us nor forsake us. It says it right here. I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me. That's what he means by that. That Christ is with me so I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me. Why? Because he'll never leave me nor forsake me. No matter what I go through, he's there with me. That's why sometimes when people go through bouts of assurance of their salvation, they doubt whether they're saved and they go through that. God hasn't left them. He might desert them in the sense of his comfortable presence not being felt. There's almost a, there isn't almost, there is, where his spirit is not bearing witness with our spirit, that he withholds that. But even in that, we have to learn to trust Him, that what is, don't trust what we feel, we don't trust what we're going through, we trust in the Lord. And we believe what He says in His word, that I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Deep covetousness breeds discontentment. There are grave dangers with discontentment. Marriages have been ruined through discontentment. Lives have been destroyed through discontentment. Children have been neglected because of discontentment. It is a sin to be discontent, and you and I must learn contentment. Be content with such things as you have. Be content with what God has provided you in this life. Be discontent with your sin and your wickedness and your idleness and anything that dishonors God within yourself. By the power of the Holy Spirit, root it out and rout the enemy out of your life. But be content with your life that God has given you. Be content with your wife. Be content with your children, your home, your family, your church, and all the goodness of the Lord. Murmur and complain not against God's goodness to you. Do not allow discontentment to fill your heart and your life. You will destroy your life through discontentment. Men murmur and complain about all that God has given them. And if you follow that line of thinking, then you are not practicing godliness with contentment, which is great gain. Again, women go through natural hormonal changes and challenges, which can breed a discontentment, and men do as well. Some call them midlife crises, like we talked about, where they feel like running away and doing something insanely foolish that will change their entire life. and it feels very real to them and very right to them at times, and they fear and they wish to run. It's normal change that affects a person, but it's not to be obeyed or regarded as acceptable. We are not to give in to discontentment. It is the opposite of faithfulness. We are to exercise a walk with God and obey the Bible over our overwhelming and strong feelings. We are to remain faithful. There are times in our lives where running and fleeing the things, the plain path of duty feels like it would be very good and natural, and we are inclined to do it. But I beseech you, do it not. Continue down the road of the plain path of duty before the Lord. The most dangerous thing a Christian can do is become discontent and leave the plain path of duty. It takes an exercise of godliness to continue to remain faithful under trying circumstances. Circumstances that may make us feel trapped or crushed under the weight of life, and we are ready to pack it in, and we are ready to give up, but we must continue and remain faithful. Paul said in verse 12, I know both how to be abased. I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Paul knew how to suffer need and remain content. It did not shake him. and make you miserable. Listen, it doesn't mean we don't feel it, that bad things, when they happen to us, that we're stoic and we don't care, no, or we're not like a corpse. No, what he's saying is, none of these things move me. Neither count I my life dear. I'm not serving God only when the sun is shining and things are going great. I'm not going to be faithful to my wife when everything goes great only. I'm not going to be faithful in my fathering and in my leading and in my pastoring when people care about me, when people do good things for me, when people are kind to me, when people think about me. I'm going to be faithful by God's grace, no matter what the circumstances are. Because that's godliness with contentment, and it's great gain. That's what Paul was saying there. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore my beloved brethren. Be ye steadfast, unmovable. Look, trials that come into your life, anxious times that come into your minds and hearts and troubles, here are time to prove how much we love God and how much we depend on Him. That we will be content that whatever comes our way, God knows. We will pray and ask God to remove it. We will pray and ask God to strengthen us through it. We will not walk away from God, and we will not walk away from our duties and our responsibilities. We will not walk away from our leadership. We will not walk away from what is right to do. We will continue down the plain path of duty, the Christian duty, to serve God, to live for him, not to walk away, not to turn. Paul says, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. He was not moved or shaken from faithfulness. He said, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. You can get through the trials that you are in through Christ. If it will strengthen you, you can do it. If it is God's will for your life, then you will come out the other side the better for it. Christ is the key that unlocks all doors and sets all captives free. Paul knew how to abase and how to abound, how to be in want and yet still having all things. He could have peace of mind through the most severe of trials because he trusted in the Lord. He learned that through going through trials. The only way we learn patience is to go through trials. We become discontented with our life and try to shake off the yoke. And we try to get away or get out of it. Do a great disservice, our spiritual growth in our life. No, your test of faithfulness is when you're in the fire. Not when things are going great, but when you're in the fire. Nothing is going great and you continue down the plain path of duty. Do not allow your heart to become discontented. Do not allow your heart to be taken. Do not allow your minds and your hearts to be taken and to be moved from faithfulness. Paul said it in another place. Acts 20 verse He said, to back up, he said, serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations, which befell me by the lying and weight of the Jews. And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you and have taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And now behold, I go bound in the spirit on Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there. save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me. Either count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy in the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel, praise God. Paul said, none of these things move me. I don't let them move me, I don't let them What does he mean by that? They didn't affect him? No, move him from faithfulness. He said, I'm not gonna let this move me from faithfulness. Look, this world, the flesh, the devil, things will be thrown at you in your Christian life. move you from faithfulness, whether it's covetousness, whether you start coveting things, or you become discontent, or the trials are hard, or other people aren't kind to you, they don't love you like they should. And if you're not careful, you'll be moved. You will be moved to be unfaithful. Because you'll be discontent with your situation, discontent with your wife, discontent with your husband, discontent with your job, discontent with your pastor, discontent with your church, discontent with your wages, discontent with everything. And you just complain. Murmur. And then soon, if you're not careful, you could be taken by it. And you'll leave the plain path of duty. David did it. David left the plain path of duty. And when Kings went out to battle, what was David doing? He was sitting in the house on his bed in the middle of the afternoon, lusting after some woman. When he should have been lusting after his own wife or out to battle. You'll look for people to complain to that'll give you an ear. then you'll have that spirit of discontent. Well, I'll tell you what, you share your discontent with the wrong people. Some of you women that do work in the world and some of you men that work in the world, you share your discontentment with the wrong people, women or men or others, they'll foster that discontent and you'll listen to their horrible counsel and advice and you'll follow it. Satan will play you like a fiddle. and you'll destroy your marriage, your family, your life, everything, your testimony, everything. You better follow what the word of God says. Discontentment is very dangerous. It must be put down. Follow the scriptures. Obey what God says. The Lord will be with you. God will take care of you. He'll meet your needs. You gotta trust him. You gotta follow the plain path of duty. All right? Have you heard about the three young men in Babylon of old, Who would not bow and worship to the statue made of gold? They went into the furnace, but they never did perspire, Cause Jesus went a-walkin' with them, walkin' through the fire. Oh, standin' for the Savior, trustin' in His might, Steppin' in the furnace hot, stickin' to the right, Just speak right up and serve the Lord and never, never tire. Cause Jesus will go walking with you, walking through the fire. If you're feeling kinda lonely as you're standing for the right If Satan tries to trick you into giving up the fight Remember God is faithful and the devil is a liar Cause Jesus will go walking with you, walking through the fire Oh, standing for the Savior, trusting in His might Stepping in the furnace hot, sticking to the right Just speak right up and serve the Lord and never, never tire Cause Jesus will go walking with you, walking through the fire Oh, standing for the Savior, trusting in His might Stepping in the furnace hot, sticking to the right. Just keep right up and serve the Lord and never, never tire. Because Jesus will go walking with you, walking through the fire. Because Jesus will go walking with you, walking through the fire. Walking, walking, walking, walking, walking through the fire. Walking through the fire. I am looking to Jesus, giving all in the race, pressing upward to gain the heavenly prize. Faithful men are my witness who have struggled and died, and they watch from the grandstand in the skies. Faithful men are left with the need for love, I am a faithful man, and I want to follow in their footsteps. Make me, Lord, a faithful man. Jacob joined with the faithful, Joseph followed behind. Moses ran with the mighty men of old. There was David and Daniel, then came Peter and Paul. Now they chant as they run on streets of gold. Faithful men of old. I want to follow in their footsteps. Make me, Lord, a faithful man. Make me, Lord, a faithful man. Make me, Lord, a faithful man. When I look around and see the blessings on this country, it's plain to see how good the Lord has been. But I hear some people say, put that old black buck away. And then I just remind them once again. That it's just a book that saved me from damnation It's just a book that cleansed me from my sins It's just a book that founded this great nation And it's our only hope to get her back again They don't want God's Ten Commandments They don't like my King James Bible They don't care to hear what Jesus Christ has done They speak with such conviction and condemn us with such boldness But just show that book to him and just watch him run It was just a book, why are you running? It was just a book, why get so mad? It was just a book, why get so nervous? It's just a book that knows every thought you've had. Open up this book into your heart, it takes a look And it shows you exactly what you are From the pages there within, it points out your every sin It discerns the thoughts and intents of your heart It's just the book that showed me full salvation It's just the book that read my title clear It's just the book that gave to me the victory It's the King James Bible that I hold so dear It's just a book that saved me from damnation. It's just a book that cleansed me from my sin. It's just a book that founded this great nation. And it's our only hope to get her back again. And it's our only hope to get her back again. One more. A heart can sing when I pause to remember A heartache here is but a stepping stone Along the trail that winding eyes of woe Is not my final goal I'll carry on Until the day My eyes behold my Savior Until the day This weary world, with all its toil and struggle, may take its toll Of misery and strife But the soul of man Is like a waking falcon When it's released It's destined for the skies Until then, with joy I'll carry on Until the day my eyes behold my Savior, until that day God's Wow, that guy has a voice, doesn't he? Let's see. I'm a Canadian, I live in Ottawa. Okay, Daniel Albert. He is in Toronto. Toronto is where he is. Okay, anyway, well, God bless you all. I hope you learned something here and take it with you and share it with others. It may help them in their marriage, their life, their walk with God, okay? It may be an encouragement to them. So you pray for them, pray for us, pray for our ministry. We'll be back live on Sunday at 10.45, 10.45 a.m. Central on Rumble here. or on sermonaudio.com, which is over here, and listen to us live there, our Sunday morning service, and then Sunday afternoon around five maybe, four or five, PM central time, we'll be back with some Baptist history, okay? So I've had some people, Contact. Oh, I forgot to tell you somebody contacted me a couple contacted me also They're coming in for a wedding Into where pastor Jeffrey is in May and they want to they've listened to me preach since 2015 they said and They would like to come and hear me preach there at pastor Jeffrey's church So they want to be there Um, so praise the Lord. We'll see if, and they're going to be there in May. So it kind of works out for them. So it sounds like it may work. They're going to try to make it work. So we'll see what happens. So we'll keep you posted on all that. I'll, I'll try to keep track of everything. And, uh, we'll let you know when that comes up, but we're excited about that to see, I want to be a blessing to that church there. Pastor Jeffrey's church, their church is doing a lot of good things. They're in a, they're in a. Rough place. Canada. So. I want to be a blessing to them too. So anyway. We're going to see what we can do about that. All right. We're going to get there and preach and encourage that pastor and, and, uh, be a blessing to him. And anyway, that sounds great. And I look forward to that. All right. You pray for us, pray for our ministry. Again, if you want to give, you know how to do it. It's right here. Salvation preacher at gmail.com for PayPal. You can go to our, our, uh, permanent audio page there, or you can donate here on our old past baptist church.org page. PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, whatever the case may be, whatever the Lord leads you to do, just pray for us and pray the Lord speaks to somebody else's heart. Whatever the Lord does. Amen. That's up to the Lord. All right, everybody. God bless you. Take care. See you here soon.